Conference planned to help students ‘speak the truth’ on natural marriage

San Diego, Calif., May 16, 2009 / 04:40 am (CNA).- A student conference on the importance of marriage and its defense is scheduled to take place this August in San Diego. It aims to bring together students and faculty who support natural marriage to help educate and motivate a new generation.

The conference, titled “It takes a family to raise a village,” is co-sponsored by the Ruth Institute and the National Organization for Marriage. It will be held at the University of San Diego from August 6 to 9 and is free to accepted students. Some travel assistance is also available.

An announcement for the conference says it will provide students with an “intense weekend” in the company of top scholars from various disciplines to discuss the social significance of marriage and the family. Students will interact with like-minded students and faculty “from across the faith traditions that support natural marriage.”

Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president of the Ruth Institute, will be among the scholars participating in the conference.

The conference says it will motivate students to understand the urgency for defending natural marriage and help them realize that marriage between a man and a woman is “more natural and practical.” It also promises to help students believe that it is “fun” to be on the side of marriage.

A May 8 newsletter from the National Organization for Marriage connected the conference to the attacks on Miss California Carrie Prejean, who was targeted for criticism for making comments supporting marriage between a man and a woman during her appearance in a beauty pageant.

“This young woman is not being smeared and attacked for anything she did wrong; she is being viciously attacked for one great thing she did right,” the National Organization for Marriage newsletter said.

“We need more young men and women with courage--and a community that backs them up,” it continued, saying the conference would help people to stand up to “the bullies” and to “speak for truth” on “hostile territory” such as college campuses.